Kindred: Six and the Princess
by RedLion2
Summary: A collection of one-shots dedicated to Preventer Team Six and their charge, Relena Peacecraft. Kindred: Six and the Princess is slightly A/U - my version of how things continued after the end of the anime series. Team Six is my creation; I used to write GW fan fiction back in the day, and I decided to bring them back, although in an altered form. Main pairing is 1xR.
1. Chapter 1

KINDRED: SIX AND THE PRINCESS

_I WISH…_

Heero Yuy watched her from the shadows near the double glass doors that led out to the veranda. She was tired; no one else would be able to see it, but he'd been with her now for eight years as the head of her personal safety team. Reaching up, he tapped the miniscule earpiece.

"It's time."

"South entrance secured." No surprise there – Chang had been itching to go for the last hour.

"The car is waiting." Now that was some foresight on Barton's part. He wasn't in the giant ballroom; he'd been guarding their charge from the foyer, watching each guest with hawk eyes. But Trowa had been with her just as long as he had, and being more of a surrogate older brother than a bodyguard, he knew her almost as well as Heero did.

Sliding out of the shadows, Heero made his way to her side. Relena seemed to sense him coming and glanced his way. His eyes narrowed a titch. She was exhausted. He stopped next to her and the man talking to her, some diplomat from some country Heero could care less about, frowned and started to say something.

Relena smiled and made her excuses. It helped that Heero's gaze was stern and he'd put a possessive hand at her waist. The man nodded and turned away, but not before Heero got the distinct impression the guy was calling him every name in the book. Good. He led her from the room, glaring at anyone who even looked like they might try to stop her. He'd let this go on too long already.

Trowa helped her slip her coat on and Wufei was at the door. He offered Relena his arm and walked her down the wide stairs to the gleaming black BMW. They'd had a row over this car; Heero and Trowa had felt a Mercedes offered better protection, but as the driver, Wufei wanted the speed and style. Relena had settled it by smiling at Chang.

That smile could change the world.

Wufei held her door as she got in. Heero took the other back seat and Trowa rode shotgun. Wufei pulled the car smoothly into traffic and for the first time all night, Relena Peacecraft relaxed.

She put her head back against the seat and sighed. That soft sound was enough to draw Wufei's dark eyes in the rearview and Trowa's green ones over his left shoulder. They knew she was fine, just like Heero did. But knowing and seeing were two different things. They wanted to _see_.

"Thank you," she murmured. It was meant for all three of them. She straightened and turned her gaze out the window. Her honey-blonde hair was up in a graceful chignon; Heero knew she hated it. She was beginning to hate all of it: the parties, the politics, the way everyone wanted something from her.

_If I could take it all away, I would. _

The drive to the hotel was short. Duo was waiting on the sidewalk when Wufei pulled up. He came around the car and opened Relena's door, helping her out and then tucking her hand into the crook of his arm. Maxwell was all charm and chuckles tonight; he'd just arrived home from a honeymoon with Hilde the night before. He led her up the sweeping steps and into the Brass Lily Hotel while the other three flanked them.

The hotel was one of Relena's favorites. It was not with Team Six – _her_ team. Built a millennia ago, it was a virtual nightmare of safety hazards, but Heero could forgive it just a bit for the labyrinth of tunnels below it that had served him well the time she'd been kidnapped and held here as a hostage by some nut job.

Relena was starting to let down more; she tipped her head and rested it against Duo's shoulder as they walked. Trowa would speak later with Heero about it, letting him know it was not okay that she'd been at the party so long that she was dead on her feet. Heero would take the scolding with his customary blank face, letting Barton get it all out. He didn't mean anything by it, anyway – it was just his way of caring.

Duo unlocked her door and stood to the side with her while Heero and Trowa swept the suite and Wufei guarded from the hallway. Once they were certain there were no threats, Trowa waved them in. Duo said goodnight, kissed her cheek and stepped from the room. Trowa hugged her tight, murmuring something no one else but her was meant to hear, kissed the top of her head, and left the room.

"Sleep tight, princess. I'll be right outside," Wufei assured her before he shut the door. The nickname had started out a veiled insult, but over the years had transformed into a term of endearment – one that he allowed no one else to call her.

She turned her back to Heero and he unzipped the back of her dress. She went into the other room and shut the door. Heero sat down in one of the plump chairs and turned the TV on, jacking up the volume a little. He found a baseball game and left it on.

Ten minutes later she rejoined him. Her hair was down, a loose shimmer of honey falling across her back. She was wearing blue leggings and her Sanc Kingdom Knights sweatshirt. It had seen better days; Heero had tried to replace it a year ago but she'd refused. He understood. There were a lot of memories worn into it.

She sprawled at his feet on her stomach. "Knights winning?"

He nudged her side with a steel-toed boot. "Don't get comfortable. You've got a schedule to go over."

She groaned. "Slave driver. I've already been over it three times with Trowa. I know the schedule."

"Good. Then this won't take long." He picked up a piece of paper from the small table next to his chair. "Go."

"Ugh." Relena rolled up into a sitting position, her back to him. "Plane leaves at nine. We land in New York City," and at his grunt she added, "JFK at one. Then I meet with chairperson so-and-so at three. Dinner at six, hopefully," here he chuckled, "and then I'm back on the plane, this time at LaGuardia, at ten." She heaved a dramatic sigh. "Happy?"

"Where are you going next?"

She leaned back against his chair and said nothing.

"Relena," he prompted. When she didn't acknowledge him, he said, "I know you hate it, but there it is. Where?" When she still said nothing, he gave her another nudge.

"Fine, fine. I'm going to visit my _beloved_ older brother for a lovely time at his country house in England. Happy?" There was a growl in her tone that made him frown. She really did hate having to visit Zechs, but if she didn't, her older brother would personally hunt her down, and Heero did _not_ want that. "I don't know why he bothers. Trowa is the only brother I need." Her tone was quieter now, sadness laced through it.

Heero sat forward and placed his hand gently on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "I know."

She sighed and turning sideways, laid her head on his knee. "Are all of you going with me?"

"Just Trowa and me." Zechs would have a fit if she walked in with all four of them. He disliked Duo and found Wufei unsettling. He barely tolerated Heero and Trowa, but they were part of the deal.

"Okay."

He tangled his fingers in her hair, massaging her scalp as she ran a hand up and down his leg. "We'll make it as painless as we can for you," he said.

"I know. I wouldn't go without you."

He knew she meant him. No matter how much she trusted the other three, Heero was her rock, her protector. He always had been, even when it wasn't his job, even when he hadn't wanted to be. Now, it was the only thing he could think of doing.

She sat up and he gave a strand of her hair a gentle tug and let go. "I'm tired of it, Heero."

"I know." But she would go, even though she hated every moment of it, even though Zechs was merciless about her staying the media darling, the spearhead of the peace movement. Heero wished he could just remove the older man from her life. _If only_.

She turned her head to face him, and he almost winced at the ghosts in her eyes. So much had happened between them. So much had happened since that first chance meeting on a beach. If he could hunt them all down, he would. He traced her cheekbone with his finger, watching the slow roll of desire chase the specters from her eyes.

"Heero, I…I wish," she said.

"Yeah. Me too," he told her.

But it couldn't work like this. Not when she was still in the public eye. Not when he was responsible for her safety. She reached out and touched his hand, and he felt the charge like he always did, that spark between them that nothing could extinguish.

_Yeah….I wish too. _

She got to her feet and retired to the other room with no goodbye, and he waited until he heard the door shut before he turned the TV off and got up. No matter how they wished, it wasn't going to happen anytime soon. He stepped out into the hall and nodded to Wufei. Chang dipped his head once, but that was all the acknowledgement Heero would get. As he made his way next door to his room, he took a deep breath and let that cold determination roll over him that had made him the consummate soldier and Gundam pilot. There was no room for pining over a woman who was likely never to be completely his.

_Goodnight, Relena_, he thought as he closed his door.


	2. Nerves

Kindred: Six and the Princess

_Nerves…_

_What I wouldn't give for some ice cream and someone to rub my feet_, Relena Peacecraft mused as she stared at her computer screen. Rain pounded against her office windows, and lightning pierced the sky every so often. She reached for her mocha. There were six more reports to go over, and after that she had to look at her speech she was giving that Saturday. It was hard to concentrate, though, at eight o'clock at night, especially since her stomach was growling and her mocha was cold.

The door opened and Wufei Chang stepped in, closing it behind him. His ebony hair was pulled back in his customary sleek ponytail, and his fine handsome features were scrunched into his usual scowl. Relena glanced at him but said nothing as he approached her desk, the thick blue carpet muffling his steps.

He set another mug down in front of her and picked up the other one. "Fresh," he said, gesturing toward the new one. It was steaming, and there was a leaf design floating along its top.

Relena smiled and took it. "Thank you," she murmured.

He studied her for a few moments. She tried not to squirm. "I'll bring another one in an hour or so," he said.

"Thanks," she said. "You don't have to, you know."

The corner of his mouth turned up. "Can't have you falling asleep." He turned to go.

"Fei, wait."

He stopped and turned back to her, his eyes narrowed slightly. "Yes?"

She smiled, trying to placate him after using the nickname he disliked. She couldn't tell him what she wanted to, of course, which was _please take me home. I'm exhausted and I hate all this paperwork!_ "Thank you for taking care of me."

Something passed over his face, something too quick to be calculated. He came back to her desk. She expected him to say something along the lines of it was his job, or duty, but instead, he said, "You're welcome. I actually don't mind it."

This time her smile was true. "I appreciate it." She gestured at her desk, which was littered with piles of papers and folders. "I'm hoping to be done by eleven."

He surveyed her desk with a frown. "I'm thinking one, if you're lucky."

Relena stuck her tongue out at him and pointed at her door. "Take your negativity and get out."

Wufei smirked and turned away. "I'll be back in an hour." He took the cold mocha with him and left the room.

Relena sighed and turned her attention back to the computer screen, but it was hard to focus. She was getting tired of this life, of this constant upkeep of the world peace movement in a world that didn't want it. She thought of the protestors at the last rally she'd attended; they'd been armed and Heero Yuy, the head of her personal security team, had immediately escorted her back to her car. The rallies were getting more and more dangerous, and every time she stepped onto a stage, she wondered if it would be her last.

_Heero and the guys would never let anything happen,_ she assured herself, as she did before every rally she spoke at. It wasn't a trust issue with Team Six; it was, rather, a trust issue with herself. She'd made it through the war on her feet, never giving in too much to her fears. But the rallies shook her. The protestors with their raised fists and guns and their signs and shouting – they followed her home at night, filtering into her dreams and keeping her in a constant state of panic. How could she carry on her work if she couldn't face them?

She rubbed a hand over her face and started typing again. But the words ran together and blurred into blobs, and she groaned and sat back, getting to her feet. The rain was still pelting her windows and she paced in front of them. They were bullet proof, but offered little comfort tonight. _When did I become so sensitive to danger? Why am I losing my nerve now? _She'd been through some terrible times, horrible moments when only thoughts of her team kept her sane. _Maybe I need to retire. _Her older brother, Zechs, had been after her for months to step down, to step back and let someone younger take over.

_But I'm just twenty-seven. It's not like I'm old enough to retire. And anyway, who would want this job? _Names popped into her head, and she turned to her desk and snatched up her cup. Sipping, she stared out the windows at the distant lightning. _Zechs would love nothing more than for me to retire. _He wanted her to move to England so he could watch over her, which was ridiculous. She had her team. They were all the protection she'd ever need. They were also some of the reason, a huge part, really, that she didn't want to step down.

What would she do without them? Once she was finished with this part of her life, with spearheading the peace movement, they would likely be reassigned by Lady Une to another person who needed protection. Heero wouldn't want to leave her (none of them would), but she had a feeling the Lady wouldn't care. He was one of the best Preventer field agents they had. In fact, as Une would say, Relena had the best of the Preventers on her team, and she wouldn't argue.

Her computer chimed, pulling her out of her reverie, and she sat back down with a sigh. There was no sense overthinking things. She had a job to do, and she would continue to do it to the best of her ability.


	3. Wanting

Kindred: Six and the Princess

_Wanting…_

He kept his eyes on the guy down at the corner. Grey tee, dark jeans, boots; the guy had a normal haircut, too. But Trowa Barton didn't like the way he kept glancing at Trowa's charge, Relena Peacecraft, who was on her well-deserved lunch break and sitting on a park bench reading a romance novel. Trowa stood just to the side of it, vigilant. Heero Yuy had often asked her to eat in her office, but she liked having a break away from the craziness, and Trowa had convinced Heero that she would be safe in the park across from her building.

Relena giggled, and though Trowa didn't look at her, he let a faint grin pass over his mouth. It was good to hear her enjoying her book. She worked hard – harder, in his opinion, than most of her fellow politicians leading the peace movement. _She deserves to rest._

A car drove by, slow, and Trowa let his eyes trail it just past them before turning his attention back to the corner. His hand dropped to his holster. The man was gone. Trowa did a quick sweep of the area, his eyes piercing as he checked his perimeter. There – across the park now, facing Relena. Trowa's eyes narrowed a bit.

"Tro? What's wrong?" Relena's book was in her lap and she was looking at the street, her shoulders rigid.

"Single suspect, across the park, eyes on you," Trowa said, his voice low.

"Should we go?" She was calm.

"Not yet." He didn't want to rush her inside if the guy was harmless. But so far, the man was still looking at Relena, and now he was moving closer, and one hand was in his jeans pocket.

Trowa tapped his earpiece. "Single suspect, eyes on Lena, moving closer."

Heero's response was instantaneous. "Move."

"Lena." Trowa's voice was quiet, but she knew her team well, and she started casually getting to her feet and tucking her book into the lavender book bag Wufei had gotten her for her last birthday. Once she was on her feet, Trowa walked her across the street, his body between the potential threat and her. The door to the building opened and Heero and Duo Maxwell stepped out. Duo was frowning; Heero bore no expression.

Relena stepped in and Duo disappeared with her. Trowa and Heero stayed on the sidewalk; Trowa motioned with his chin toward the man, who was still standing there, a scowl on his face. Heero said nothing. Trowa knew it was coming.

With a quiet exhale, the leader of their team said, "This was the last time."

"She deserves a break."

"It's too dangerous." Heero lifted a hand and made a slight motion. "Case in point."

"We don't know if he's dangerous." Trowa could feel the intensity of Heero's eyes as the other man glanced at him.

"So why ring it in, then?"

_Because it felt off. _"Just being cautious," Trowa told him.

"Right." Heero's voice was hard. "It's done, Barton. No more park." He turned and went inside, and Trowa waited a while before following. There was no sense in trying to sway Yuy's decision at this time; he'd dug in for now. Later, though, Trowa would have a go at it.

He went inside and headed to the bank of elevators. Heero was nowhere in sight; he'd probably gone to speak with building security about what had happened. _Or didn't happen_, Trowa groused. But there had definitely been something off-putting about the man, and for that reason, he'd made Relena come back inside. _And now she'll be stuck here until midnight, and Yuy won't let her go outside to enjoy the sunshine._

Grouchy now and angry with himself for possibly overreacting, he stepped off on Relena's floor and strode up to her office doors. Bethany, her young secretary, glanced up at him but said nothing. She was used to Team Six having the run of the floor, and she'd been cowed by Wufei on her first day on the job, so she rarely engaged any of them. He nodded to her, knocked on one of Relena's double doors, and went in.

Heero was in front of her desk, that stern Gundam pilot-turned-Preventer stance in full force as he talked to her. Duo was off to the side; he glanced at Trowa and rolled his eyes. Duo didn't agree with keeping Lena penned up in her office on nice days, either, but with Heero calling the shots, it wasn't their decision. And Maxwell knew to keep his mouth shut on the subject, too. They'd go after Yuy later.

Trowa walked up and leaned a hip against the tall desk. Lena was taking her scolding like a champ, her hands folded neatly on the desk in front of her, a demure expression masking her real feelings. Heero finished and looked at her. She looked up at him.

"Well?" he asked a few moments later.

"Well what? You've been _crystal_ clear on the subject of me ever going to the park again." Relena sat back and folded her arms over her chest, mimicking him.

Trowa and Duo exchanged a look. Heero's features iced over, and he leaned down on her desk, getting into her space. Relena sat back, scowling.

"You know why," he said. His tone could've cut glass.

Relena threw her hands up. "It was _ten minutes_, Heero! Ten minutes!"

Heero nodded toward Trowa. "He called it in."

Trowa frowned. "I may have overreacted."

Relena sighed. "It doesn't matter now. Just get out so I can get back to work."

Heero turned on his heel and left. Duo opened his mouth but Trowa waved him off. He waited until Maxwell had left and then sat down on the corner of the desk.

"Tro, it's not your fault," she said, not looking at him. "You're just doing your job."

"I was," he agreed. "I'm going to ask Yuy about this later, after he's cooled off."

"He never cools off." She snorted. "He lives to make me miserable."

Trowa smiled. "You don't mean that any more than _he_ means what _he_ says."

She looked up at him. "You don't think he means what he says?"

"Sometimes," he amended. "Do you want anything?"

"No." But he knew she did, and he also knew Duo would be on his way back with it. The door behind them opened, and Maxwell stepped in with a glass of iced lemon tea and a strawberry-frosted bagel. Relena didn't eat much for lunch; they kept her favorite things in a small well-stocked fridge. Duo set them down on her desk.

"We'll talk to him," he said.

"I know you will," Relena said, reaching for the bagel. She took a bite and closed her eyes. "You guys are the best."

"We know," Duo sang out, grinning. He turned to go, and added, this time in a somber tone, "By the way, that guy hasn't left yet. He's down in the park, watching the building."

Trowa's blood ran cold. That meant his instincts had probably been dead-on. "We'll know later," he said, giving Maxwell a look. Relena didn't need to be privy to more of this conversation. She had enough going on.

"I know what you meant," she said a few moments after Maxwell left. "If he's after me, he'll try something when I leave the building."

"When _we_ leave the building," Trowa corrected her. There was never a time she left by herself.

She finished the bagel and grabbed the glass. "I need to get to work."

"I know." He didn't leave yet, though.

"I don't want the patronizing spiel of why you guys have to be so protective, Tro," she said, making a shooing motion. "I know you do, and that's why I'm still alive." She looked at him, and he saw a tiny flash of fear in her eyes. "As much as I hate it sometimes, like right now, I get it. People don't like me." She gave a delicate shrug that tugged at him.

"People don't know you," he said. "If they did, they wouldn't want to kill you." She gave him a look and he turned to go. "We'll get ice cream on the way home, if you want."

"I always want," she said, smiling, and as he gave her a rare full grin and walked back to the door, he knew she wasn't only talking about ice cream.

_Someday, I'm going to make sure she gets her day in the park, and all the ice cream she can eat._ He gently closed the door behind him, nodded to Bethany, and went to find Duo to strategize on how best to get their charge out of the building when she was finished for the day. As much as he wanted a day in the sunshine for her, this came first. It would always come first.


	4. Boys

Kindred: Six and the Princess

_Boys_

She was in the same dream again. She was on a boat, a beautiful red and white sailboat, sails up and bloated with wind. The craft skimmed over the waves, the bow rising and falling. She never knew why this dream interrupted her sleep; she'd never been on a sailboat. But that wasn't the thing that troubled her most. It was what came after.

The storm – raging, battering, frightening. She clutched the railing with both hands, her cries for help torn and tossed to the furious winds. His name ripped from her throat just as the railing shook loose, throwing her into the angry dark waves. The water was always cold. She coughed and gasped and fought for the surface, only to have the waves force her back down. Thrashing and trying to hold in a scream, she slipped away until—

"Relena."

His hands on her shoulders, squeezing, giving gentle reassurance as he eased her from the nightmare, pulling her back to safety and the air. She tried to breathe normal, tried to quiet the race of her heart. He put his arms around her and held her close to his solid frame. The door would open, and he would tell his team she was fine, it had only been the nightmare again. Then he'd murmur to her, words she couldn't hold onto, and she'd finally relax and thank him for being there, for _always_ being there.

When the nightmare had assaulted her for several nights in a row, Wufei had suggested a shrink. But they all knew, even her, what the problem was: stress. Relena hated to admit it, but it was getting to her. The rallies, the parties, and the long meetings – all of it. And it was never ending. She would be on a plane this morning out of LAX, bound for Atlanta, where another rally to speak about the world and the colonies and their endless need for peace would happen tomorrow night. As she nestled her head against Heero's shoulder, she wished she could skip it and stay home. Or, at least, what passed for home at this moment.

Heero always waited for her to pull away, never hurrying her. When she did, he ran the pad of his thumb along the fine lines of her cheekbones and studied her with those infinitely deep cobalt eyes. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

"Me too," she whispered. "I hate this." The nightmare always seemed so real, the endless water so dark and vivid. Even now, her chest seemed to burn for air. Heero reached up and pushed a strand of hair back behind her ear.

"You can quit," he said.

"I can't. You know that." Her work wasn't done yet. It couldn't be handed off to someone who wasn't as invested as she was.

"You're not ready to let it go," he told her, and finally looked away.

No, she wasn't.

"They're getting worse," he said a moment later. "Some night I'm going to burst in and find you so wrapped up in those blankets you'll be choking for real."

She touched his arm and a tremor raced through him. "I can't quit, and you know it," she told him. "No matter how bad it gets, I can't step down when there's so much to do." And when she finally did, her team, _her_ protectors, would be reassigned to someone else, and she'd be all alone. More than anything else, she wasn't ready to face that.

He put his head close to hers. "You can't keep this up."

"I will." Steel ran through her blood. It had sustained her during the darkest days of the war, and it would do the same now. No matter that she hated her job. Someone had to do it, and she was the most qualified. "But I can't do it without you and the team."

His eyes turned soft. "You don't have to. We're with you until you step down." Beyond that, they knew there were no guarantees. They were arguably the best Preventer team Lady Une had, and she would use them wherever she saw fit.

"That man, a few days ago. Did he ever try anything?" she asked.

"No." Heero shook his head. "But I still say Barton was right for calling him in."

"I know." She had been upset at the time, but even through her anger, she understood. She trusted them with her life, and they trusted her to follow their lead. It was the only way it could work.

Heero checked his watch. "You should try to sleep."

It would be useless, but she nodded. He touched her cheek one last time and slid out of the bed. Relena laid back while he fussed with the blankets, straightening them out and drawing them over her. Without a word, he left the room, leaving her to wage war on her thoughts.

Four hours later, she still hadn't fallen back to sleep. She got up and took a shower. A cup of mocha was on her nightstand when she emerged from the bathroom, her hair up in a towel, a lavender bathrobe snugged tight around her body. The schedule for her Atlanta trip sat next to the mocha. Her team was nothing if not efficient.

An hour later, she was dressed and ready. Her luggage would already be in the trunk of the BMW, and her team would be assembled downstairs, with Trowa outside her room, ready to escort her down. She opened the door and he held his arm out for her. The other three fell in around them as they left the townhouse, and Duo opened her door. He would tail them to the airport in a matching black BMW.

She settled in and buckled her seatbelt, and twenty seconds later Wufei had pulled out into traffic with Duo following close. Relena set her head against the window and closed her eyes. A half-hour later, Heero eased her awake with a gentle hand on her arm, and they whisked her out onto the tarmac and up into the private jet.

Relena tried to read; she'd started a new novel a few days ago, and hadn't made much headway in it yet. But the words didn't hold her attention, and as the jet lifted off, she put her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. Heero would let her sleep for an hour or so, and then make her go over the schedule again. As the plane settled at altitude, she fell into a peaceful sleep.

When Heero woke her, she saw that they were already on approach to Atlanta, and gave him a questioning look. He shrugged. "You were exhausted," he said. Reaching over to tap the schedule in the seat next to her, he added, "We'll go over this in the car."

"Thank you for letting me sleep," she said.

"You needed it." He sat back in his seat across from her. The other three were seated up near the cockpit, going over security. "I cancelled your dinner reservations tonight," he said. "You need the rest. Tomorrow will be hectic."

It would be, and she'd be out in the public eye all day, which created havoc for her team. "Can we order pizza?" she asked hopefully. It was already almost five here on the East coast.

"Maxwell already made the call," he told her. "But that means straight to the hotel, and you're in for the night." His voice was low with the sternness she expected.

She nodded. A night in the hotel with pizza and a movie or her book sounded wonderful. _I'll still have to go over my speech, and the schedule, before he's happy, though. _Especially the schedule; Heero was a fanatic about it.

"Knowing the schedule helps keep you safe," he'd tell her. He'd said it often enough it floated through her mind at random times.

The jet touched down and was soon parked at a hangar. Wufei and Trowa swept the perimeter and once satisfied, Heero and Duo brought her off and right into the waiting BMW – always black, and always fast. Once they were at the hotel, it was the same – the team checking the perimeter and then rushing her inside and onto the elevator in the back. She was glad to get into the room; the pizza was waiting and she kicked off her flats and immediately opened the box and took out a slice.

"Good grief, woman, wait for us," Duo chided her as he and Wufei joined the rest of them.

"You know how she is with pizza," Heero said dryly, grabbing his own slice.

"You know how she is with _any_ food," Wufei said, a shine in his dark eyes when Relena glared at him. "I only speak truth."

She frowned at him while acknowledging how true it was. Her schedule kept her running, and anytime she could get food, she tried to enjoy it, no matter what it was. Trowa turned on the TV and set the volume low; her eyes were drawn to the screen when the news channel showed a stage set with colorful banners proclaiming peace. Her stomach knotted when the camera panned the large group of protestors already gathered, waving signs and shouting how there could be no peace with the colonies after what they'd done.

"Don't watch." Heero changed the channel.

"I can't help it," she murmured.

"You're only amping yourself up," he told her, his eyes stony. "Leave it."

"Lena." Trowa had his arms folded over his chest. "He's right. Watching that will only keep you up tonight."

"You're the one who put it on," she reminded him, her voice full of sourness. "I need some time alone."

Heero looked at his team and nodded at the door. "Go on."

But they didn't go, and Relena fought down a wave of anger. "I meant _all_ of you, Major Yuy."

"I know." He motioned toward the door. "Get out," he ordered.

"She has the food," Duo whined.

Wufei grabbed his arm and wrenched him toward the door. "We can find another pizza," he said, his tone biting.

They went, but Trowa didn't move. Relena looked between him and Heero; the captain and the major were in a stalemate. She cleared her throat. Neither one looked at her. "Tro, it's all right," she said. It wasn't as if she were in danger from Heero. He likely just wanted to lecture her, and she could survive that.

"She's tired." Trowa's voice was soft; no one would miss the thin thread of iron in it, though. Relena inhaled quietly.

Heero merely pointed at the door again. When Trowa refused to move, he said, "You don't want me to escort you out."

"You can try."

"Boys." Relena stepped in-between them. "Seriously, enough. I have work to do, and you two need to go cool off. Take a swim. I don't know. Just get out."

They both looked at her then, wearing matching frowns. "We are not _boys_," Heero informed her while Trowa nodded in agreement.

"You're certainly acting like it," she retorted. "You both care about me. I get it. But you have to let me work this out on my own, so take the pizza with you so Duo doesn't starve, and let me work."

Their expressions relaxed, and Trowa gave her a quick hug and grabbing the pizza, left the room. Heero waited until the door closed.

"Leave the door between the suites unlocked," he said. "I want access if you have that nightmare again."

And she wanted him to have that access. If the nightmare cropped up again, she would need his quiet voice. She would need his strength. She walked over to the door between their rooms and made a show of unlocking it. "There." She turned back to him. "All done."

He bobbed his head once. "Chang and Maxwell are on duty tonight."

"All right." She doubted she'd need them, but it was nice to know they would be there if she did. She followed him over to the main door. He lifted a hand, like he wanted to touch her, but didn't.

"Try to get some rest," he told her and opening the door, stepped out.

"I will if you boys try to get along," she said and with a flash of a grin, shut the door on him. He'd grumble about that for the next few days, which made her grin all the more. As hardcore as her team was, as macho as they could be, deep down they were still those boys she'd met so many years ago – boys that she had befriended and depended on. She left the TV off and settled down on the bed with her laptop and the schedule, and set about making sure she knew them both by heart.


	5. Blame

Kindred: Six and the Princess

_Blame_

Wufei Chang could feel it coming. It was in the breeze, in the way the crowd was already restless, even those who truly came to support Relena Peacecraft. Major Heero Yuy, the head of Team Six, tasked with protecting the young politician, was uneasy, and had been since the incident back at the hotel. A young woman had approached Relena, a notebook in her hand. Relena had stopped, always available to speak with anyone interested in her endeavors. The girl had acted out of sorts, though, shaky, her eyes darting around, and Heero had had her seized and escorted out of the building.

_And we haven't gotten our footing back yet._ Relena was nervous, which always set her team on edge. She was having nightmares about drowning; they were likely caused by the stress she was under, but it still didn't sit well with any of them. Not even him, who for a long time hadn't liked her or having to protect her. Now, though, he was particular about the girl he'd nicknamed – derisively, back then – princess. She was more than a spoiled socialite like he'd always thought. She was hardworking, driven, compassionate, and a total foodie. He was _quite_ particular about those last two.

Glancing over his left shoulder, he sighted on her. She looked good; in a pale blue skirt and white shirt, she looked a bit like a white capped wave. Heero was to her right, Duo Maxwell to her left, and Trowa Barton and himself worked the crowd. It was a normal situation, one they had lots of practice with. But it felt off. He knew it, and the others did, too.

Relena started with her opening remarks. People politely applauded. Wufei kept working through the crowd, his left eye always to the stage. Heero and Duo were back in the shadows; he noted that their right hands were at their hips, ready to pull if something happened. It was his and Trowa's jobs to make sure it didn't. More applause; Relena was a hit. She wasn't always, but this crowd seemed happy to hear about the peace movement between Earth and her rebellious colonies.

A flash caught his eyes. Wufei stopped and pivoted, his hand dropping to his weapon. Trowa had seen it too; he was making his way toward Wufei with intentional strides. It was closer to the stage than they would've liked. Heero and Duo were already stepping toward their charge, their movement slow but that would change the second someone attacked.

Relena suddenly froze. They all saw it at the same moment: a man with dark hair, a man who passed for normal-looking. _The man from the park a few days ago_, Wufei realized even as he pulled his sidearm and charged.

"**_Down_**!" Heero barked and Relena hit the floor of the stage even as he and Duo converged on her. Duo threw himself down over her as Heero leapt from the stage, hit his feet and burst into a run at the man. He reached him a second before Trowa and Wufei did. The man collapsed beneath Heero's hit, sprawling on his back, shock on his face. Heero grabbed his collar and yanked him up while Trowa and Wufei backed him with their guns, both prepared to put the guy down if he so much as breathed wrong.

Heero knocked the small silver pistol from the man's hand and gave him a shake. Words passed from the major's mouth that no one but the attacker could hear. Wufei edged close and kicked the weapon away. Stepping back, he watched a pair of cops rush up and cuff the man while Heero kept his hand on him.

Duo was helping Relena to her feet; she looked okay, pale but hanging in there. This wasn't her first time. The cops hauled the guy off, another in gloved picking up the pistol, and Heero glanced at his two captains before heading to the stage. Wufei nodded to Trowa and they followed. The cops would handle the crowd dispersal. They would take care of Relena.

Once the three captains and major were on stage, they collected Relena into their midst and moved her off stage as fast as they could. She wasn't shaking; that would come later, once they'd gotten her to safety and she could process. Wufei slid into the driver's seat while Duo opened the driver side back door and Trowa helped Relena in. Heero was talking, his phone at his ear, letting Lady Une know the situation. Heero slid his phone into his back pocket and got in the passenger back door. Trowa always rode shotgun. Wufei checked his rearview – Relena was sandwiched between Duo and Heero. She looked up, caught his eye. He put his foot on the gas.

He made the hotel in six minutes flat. Duo had Relena out of the car. Wufei flanked her on the other side. Heero and Trowa fell in behind. They rushed her into the hotel and then the elevator. Once they reached her room, Trowa and Heero swept it, and they let her come in.

Then – only then – did they see the cracks in her armor. She sat down on the bed and Wufei saw the trembles shake through her as she clasped her hands in her lap, almost driving them into her stomach as she bent over. Heero approached and sat down on her left. The rest of them kept their distance, even Trowa. This was their procedure, but it bothered the other three. It was difficult to watch Relena go through this, to know that if they had perhaps done something differently, she wouldn't have to.

She was tough, though. Within a couple of minutes, she was upright, the shakes subsiding under Heero's gentle hand and low voice. She looked up, looked over at the three of them, near the door. Her gratitude was in her eyes, eyes an odd flavor of violet blue, the likes of which Wufei had never seen before. They unsettled him. They also drew him, like they seemed to draw everyone else on their team.

She started to get up, but Heero's hand on her forearm tightened a bit, keeping her seated. He got up instead and approached the other three. Her eyes followed his every move across the big room.

"I want to know the second they find out who he is," Heero murmured, making eye contact with each captain. They all nodded; Trowa's attention was wavering. Heero jerked his head toward Relena, and the older man hurried to her side, and sitting next to her, wrapped his left arm around her, hugging her tight to his side. It was a relationship that neither Wufei nor Duo had with her. Maxwell was the friendly one, the funny one, keeping her distracted with jokes when they needed her distracted. And Wufei – well, he guessed he was the one who brought her mocha the way she liked it, and discussed literature with her. And it was more than that, really, for all of them.

They would give their lives for her. Lady Une had assigned Heero as the leader of Team Six, and tasked him with building it. Each one of them had said yes immediately, even Wufei. By that time, he and Relena had come to an understanding with one another, and she was someone he cared about. She was someone who could do good for not only Earth, but the colonies, and that was important to all four of them. Wufei wasn't proud of what he'd done during the war, not all of it, anyway, but he was proud to work as a Preventer, and to guard one of the biggest assets the peace movement had.

Duo's phone rang. He checked the ID, murmured something to Heero, and stepped from the room. Wufei crossed his arms over his chest and watched Relena. Trowa had let go of her and they were speaking in hushed tones. Heero was fussing with his phone, swiping every other second across the screen. Wufei wanted to do something – anything. The door opened again and Duo slid in.

"Guy's name is Charles Richmond," he said. "No priors, no affiliations. The guy works as an insurance salesman in Chicago."

"What's he doing in LA and Atlanta?" Trowa asked.

Duo took a breath. "This is where it gets tricky. His sister was killed in a suicide bombing in NYC last fall." He looked round at them all. "We remember that one."

Wufei's mind jumped back. The previous fall, in a theater full of people expecting to listen to Relena and other politicians, a man had stepped just inside the theater, triggered a small bomb wired up under his shirt, and blown half the crowd and a good portion of the building into oblivion. Relena had taken a couple weeks to recover from the scare; she'd been about to step on stage. Wufei shut his eyes for a moment against the assault of memories, of watching their girl fall to pieces while the world did the same.

"Yeah. That bombing," Duo confirmed a moment later.

"He blames me?" Relena's voice got quiet like it always did when she thought someone hated her.

Duo shrugged. "You were there, and you're the face of the movement." He took a breath. "It sucks, it does. But there it is. So he's been waiting, planning. He told the police this was a good time to do it – lots of people, lots of social media attention."

Heero growled under his breath, words that the others knew he didn't like Relena to hear. "We're leaving tonight. Wufei, call the jet. Duo, I want the streets clear all the way. Trowa, you stay with her." He turned toward the door.

"And you?" Wufei asked, because he was the only one who could without making Yuy mad.

Heero grinned. Ferocity leapt from his eyes. "I have a visit to make." He left the room.

Wufei eyed the other two captains, and the three of them got to work.


	6. Lines

Kindred: Team Six and the Princess

_Lines_

Thunder rumbled across the horizon, drawing Duo Maxwell's attention to it. He'd noticed the sky dimming in the last half-hour, but didn't want to disturb his charge. Relena Peacecraft was sprawled across a blue and white quilt in the back garden of a lake cottage up in Washington State. She'd been reading, but he figured she was sleeping now, the book having been set aside ten minutes ago. Rain scented the air, and Duo sighed. It was time.

"Relena," he said, his deep voice quiet. He waited. "Relena, come on. We gotta go in." The urge to call her _Lena_ or _princess_ was still strong, even after all this time, but those nicknames were not for his use. "Angel, get up." She'd balked at the nickname for a while; Heero thought it was ridiculous, and Trowa thought it should be reserved for Duo's wife, Hilde. But Hilde was most definitely _not_ an angel, and while Relena wasn't exactly one either, she was some kind of wonder for all of them, bravely leading a movement that seemed destined to fail. "Don't make me get the hose."

"You're no fun." Relena rolled into a sitting position and glared up at him. "I like rain."

"Yeah, well, me too, but Heero doesn't like you in it."

She got to her feet, ignoring the hand he offered. "He doesn't like me in anything."

Duo guffawed. "You got that right."

She stopped and turned bright red. "Duo!"

"What?" He turned his hands palms up. "You said it."

She stomped off in the direction of the house, leaving him to gather up the quilt and book. He grinned as he did; it was rare he was able to get such a response from her, and he was going to enjoy this. She'd already gone in by the time he reached the back door, and rain was beginning to come down. Stepping inside, he set the book and quilt aside and moved toward the kitchen, where his teammates seemed to be congregating.

Heero turned to face him, one hand on his hip. "All right, what did you say to her this time?"

Duo held up both hands. "Nothing, I swear."

Wufei shook his head. "I don't buy it."

"Me either." Trowa's visible eye narrowed. "Fess up, Maxwell."

Duo snorted. "Ask angel what _she_ said if you want to know." He headed past Heero, but the major didn't think it was funny. He usually didn't.

"Maxwell." His tone was sharp.

"All right, geez." Duo stopped and stared Yuy in the eye. "I'm gonna tell ya, but remember – _you_ asked for it, Heero." He saw Chang and Barton exchange a look. Duo repeated the conversation, watching Yuy's impassive soldier face turn pinker and pinker, and saw the other two's looks of unbelief behind him. "There, that's what we said," Duo finished, shrugging. He left the room, leaving the two captains muttering and the major dumbfounded.

Satisfied with himself, Duo plopped down on the wide leather couch and turned the TV on. Their responsibilities here were easier to handle, as Relena was never outside without one of them, and she was safely inside now for the time being. He could relax.

Two hours later, Trowa announced dinner, and Duo picked himself up off the couch and strolled to the table. Set into an alcove near the back slider, it was dark walnut and pretty. He heard Wufei call up the stairs for Relena and picked up his glass of water. There was plenty of beer in the fridge; even though they were always on-duty, Heero let them kick back a little bit way up here.

"Relena!" Wufei called again, with a smidge of irritation this time. Duo turned and looked his way. It was odd for her not to come right away, or at least respond. When Chang slid his pistol from his holster and headed up the stairs, Duo frowned and followed. When he got to the top of the stairs, Wufei was already pacing the second floor, grumbling. "She's not up here," he finally said.

"I didn't see her downstairs," Duo told him, chagrined. They went back down to the main floor, and found Heero and Trowa scouring that level, too.

"She's not inside," Trowa said, shaking his head. He looked out the slider. "She must've gone back out."

"I never heard the front door," Wufei said, scowling and moving toward the slider.

"Split up," Heero ordered. "Barton with me." They went to the back door, pistols out. Duo followed Chang out the slider.

The sky was black and the rain pelted them as they made their way around the cabin. Duo's heart raced. Where had she gone? She'd slipped away before, but not in a long time, not since Heero had given her the lecture of his lifetime and a cold shoulder for a week. They met up with the other two; Trowa was worried and Heero was angry. Not good. Duo turned, scanning the back yard. Where had she – and then there she was, way across the huge yard by the back fence, pressed up against a tall maple tree. She was soaking wet and as Duo led the team to her, he could see how pale she was.

"Angel," he called out and when she turned to him, he saw then how upset she was.

"Get in the house," Heero said as soon as he reached her.

She shook her head. "Just leave me alone."

His scowl deepened and he reached for her. Duo could tell this was going nowhere. She pulled back, bumping into the tree, her pretty eyes scrunched up in temper. "Don't touch me, Heero," she warned. "I want to be left alone."

"Lena." Trowa, stepping in like the surrogate older brother he was, trying to level the confrontation before it got worse. He held his hand out to her. "You're soaked, and the temperature is dropping. Please come in."

She wavered; they could all see it in her gaze. But then Heero touched her arm and set her off. "No. I _need _to be alone."

"You _need_ to come inside and warm up," Heero growled. His tenor voice vibrated with anger. "Let's go."

Relena looked to Wufei, but Chang gave a slight shake of his head. "I'm with Yuy," he told her. "You'll catch cold."

"I don't care," she retorted, and gave them her back.

"We're done." Heero took hold of her and pulled. She swung around, pushing at him. "Stop it," he ordered. His voice had gone dead, and Duo knew his eyes would match. When Yuy got to that point, he was nothing more than ice.

Relena's head came down, and the fight bled out of her eyes. She let Heero lead her back to the cabin, with Trowa fussing on her other side and Wufei following and muttering to himself. Duo hung back. Had he done this? Had that quick wit of his, that stupid remark, upset her that much? They all knew how she and Heero felt toward one another. They also knew it wasn't going to happen, not when they were politician and Preventer.

_Stupid. I shouldn't have said that. I know how hard it is for them both. _He'd said it off the cuff, not intending to do harm to her. Would the others figure out the reason for her flight into the rain? If they did, he'd be in for it. He reached the cabin and went in. Relena was nowhere to be seen and neither was Trowa. Heero and Wufei were in the kitchen – waiting for him.

Duo held up his hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset her," he said, trying to placate his leader.

Heero's eyes crackled. "It was stupid, Maxwell. You know we can't be together."

"It was meant as a joke," Duo told him.

"Was it worth it?" Wufei asked. He pointed over his head. "Is it worth it if she gets sick? If we get sick?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Chang. I didn't know you were so delicate," Duo fired back, hot now. "I took a shot at her, and I shouldn't have, all right?"

Heero stepped into him. Duo held his ground. They were about the same height; Duo had a little more weight on him, but knew that wouldn't matter if Heero engaged. "Keep your remarks to yourself from now on," Yuy said. His voice was still cold. "Our feelings for one another are off-limits – to all of you." He looked back at Chang, who nodded.

"Barton and I aren't the ones you have to worry about," he said, and his dark eyes flicked to Duo for a second.

"So I made one quip – lay off," he retorted. "It's not like I actually came out and said Heero likes her—"

"Think about that last word," Heero warned, cutting him off. His blue eyes glittered like cut glass, and Duo swallowed.

Heero and Relena had slept together just once. The whole team knew; it had been on their third mission, after Relena had almost been shot by a bullet meant for the man standing next to her on stage. Heero had refused to let them see her, preferring to attend to her himself. But when the two had emerged from her bedroom at the hotel, it hadn't taken too much intellect to figure out what had transpired. They'd silently agreed to never speak of it, and it had never happened again. Relena and Heero couldn't afford for it to. Duo's face reddened. He'd crossed a line, and he'd been about to cross another one. Shame filled him.

"I'm sorry," he said, his tone contrite. "You're right. This is my fault. I know better than to say anything about it, and I know I hurt her." He hadn't hurt Yuy, just angered him.

Heero took a step back. "If it happens again, you're off the team." His voice was low, but Wufei would've heard him. It didn't matter. Duo had no intention of getting booted. Relena meant too much.

"I know. I deserve that." Duo glanced up at the ceiling. "I'll apologize when she comes down."

Trowa walked into the room then, and Heero turned to face him, holding up a hand. "I talked to him."

It didn't matter; Trowa wanted to have his own say. Only sometimes he spoke less than Heero. Duo took a step backward. Barton stopped and pointed at him. "You hurt her, Maxwell," he snarled. "It happens again, you won't just be finished. You'll be buried. Understand?"

"Yeah, no, I get it," Duo said, nodding. "I crossed a line." A line they'd all agreed never to cross.

Trowa nodded and turned away, and they heard his boots on the stairs. Duo leaned back against a counter as Heero left the room. He didn't go upstairs, though – he headed to the office. Wufei got a glass down from a cupboard and poured some lemon ice tea into it from the pitcher in the fridge.

"That was stupid, Maxwell," he said, looking at Duo. Before Duo could say anything, he added, "I know you were just joking around, because that's what you do. But she's sensitive, and it hurts her that they can't be together. It hurts him, too, but he would never say it." Wufei sighed and turned to go.

"I don't know why they can't be," Duo argued.

Wufei stopped, back to him. "Yes, you do. You can't guard someone the way they need to be guarded if you're in love with them."

"He _is_ in love with her."

"He is, but he can see past it. Not many can. And it's our job to back him up, to make sure she stays safe and healthy and whole, until the day they _can_ be together. Don't forget that." Wufei left the kitchen and Duo heard him going up the stairs, taking Relena the tea.

Duo swore softly and pushed the heels of his hands into his eyes. Yeah, he knew that. And he also knew how much suffering Heero and Relena went through because of their jobs. But he'd forgotten that in the past few months; thinking back, he'd made other shots at their relationship to her, and she'd taken them. But this one had been too forward, too insensitive. Groaning, he headed into the living room, where he'd wait until she came downstairs. Then, he'd apologize and promise to behave himself, and he would, because she needed him to be on his game, and he needed to be on her team.

And he'd be damned if he'd let her down again.


End file.
